All-Scottish midfield named for first Lions Test

Huw Jones and Sione TuipulotuImage source, Getty Images
Image caption,

Huw Jones and Sione Tuipulotu will play together in the centres for the Lions

First Test: Australia v British and Irish Lions

Date: Saturday 19 July Kick-off: 11:00 BST Venue: Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane

Coverage: Live text commentary on the BBC Sport website and app with post-match analysis on iPlayer, BBC Radio 5 Live and Rugby Union Weekly podcast.

The British and Irish Lions will field an all-Scottish fly-half and centre trio for the first time when they take on Australia in the first Test in Brisbane on Saturday.

Finn Russell, Sione Tuipulotu and Huw Jones start for Andy Farrell's team, with players from Ireland and England making up the rest of the starting line-up and squad.

The Welsh hope, Jac Morgan, is not in the 23, meaning this is the first time since 1896 the Lions have named a squad against Australia, New Zealand or South Africa without a Welshman.

Farrell said Morgan had been "as close as you could imagine" when asked how near the forward had been to selection after a string of impressive performances on tour.

Ireland have eight starters - equalling the record of most Ireland players to start a Lions Test - and another three on the bench.

England have four starters, with five more among the replacements, but there is no room for Owen Farrell or Henry Pollock.

Tom Curry has won a fiercely contested battle for the number seven jersey - getting the nod ahead of Morgan and Josh van der Flier.

Lions team to face Australia

Keenan; Freeman, Jones, Tuipulotu, Lowe; Russell, Gibson-Park; Genge, Sheehan, Furlong; Itoje, McCarthy, Beirne, Curry, Conan.

Replacements: Kelleher, Porter, Stuart, Chessum, Earl, Mitchell, M Smith, Aki

Power and experience in the back row

The experienced Tadhg Beirne has been picked at blind-side flanker ahead of Ollie Chessum, who had made a particularly strong case for inclusion.

With Ireland's Jack Conan at number eight, Farrell has opted for a powerful and experienced starting back row, with all three having played in the Test series against South Africa four years ago.

"That's the part of the side that's been talked about for some time and rightly so because of the quality we have there," said Farrell.

"Obviously we feel it's the right balance for the first Test, with Tadhg's quality in the set-piece but also his all-round ability on the floor as jackler or a ball-playing six.

"Tadhg has had many big games when it really matters and I have no doubt Ollie will have an impact on the game also.

"Tom Curry is the engine we all know that we need in regards to Test match football."

Twenty-year-old Pollock - the youngest member of the touring side - was also in contention in the back row after a breakout season and some exuberant showings in Australia, but his England team-mate Ben Earl earns a spot on the bench alongside Chessum.

"You're actually gutted for players like Jac, Josh and Henry because playing good rugby they could easily have been in this side," added Farrell.

"I suppose it just shows the good place we're at as a group."

There is no Farrell in the 23 despite a dramatic mid-tour call-up and an encouraging cameo against an AUNZ Invitational side in Adelaide on Saturday.

As expected, Blair Kinghorn has failed to recover from injury and the full-back spot goes to Hugo Keenan, with the in-form Tommy Freeman and the fairly quiet - by his standards - James Lowe on the wings.

Jamison Gibson-Park partners Russell at half-back.

The front row was predictable - Ellis Genge, Dan Sheehan and Tadhg Furlong combining - with Joe McCarthy and captain Maro Itoje behind them.

The Lions have won all five of their tour matches in Australia and are considered favourites to win the three-match series.

Lions team in numbers

Form v pedigree in tough decisions

Rugby union correspondent Chris Jones in Brisbane:

Andy Farrell admits this team is a little different to the one he imagined many months ago, and the Lions management would have weighed form against pedigree when selecting the side.

Before the tour Andrew Porter would perhaps have had his nose in front of Genge, but the latter's performances have helped secure the starting shirt. Likewise McCarthy, who has played his way into the second row alongside skipper Itoje.

The outstanding Sheehan was a shoo-in at hooker, while Furlong, Beirne, Curry and Conan all have Lions Test match experience, which would have been a decisive factor in their selections.

Chessum is unlucky not to start, but has the consolation of making the matchday squad, while Morgan is doubly unlucky and couldn't have done much more.

Behind the scrum, Gibson-Park and Russell have been the Test half-backs from a long way out, while the injuries to Garry Ringrose, Mack Hansen and Kinghorn means the rest of the backline almost picks itself.

Bundee Aki against Tuipulotu would have been close, with Farrell understandably opting for the Scottish connection and using Aki's power as an impact from the bench.

Talking of the replacements, Farrell suggested his son Owen needs some more game-time, while Marcus Smith's ability to cover full-back has helped get him the nod over namesake Fin.

Thrilled for Curry but hard on Morgan

Former Lion Ugo Monye on the Rugby Union Weekly podcast:

We spoke about the fight for the number seven shirt a year ago in terms of who was going to be in the touring party, let alone who was going to start the first Test. It has gone to Tom Curry and I'm thrilled for him and everyone else that has been selected.

If you have given everything and played really well and there is nothing more that can be asked of you, not being selected can leave you slightly baffled, asking "what more could I have done?".

Jac Morgan is probably in that place right now. "Maybe my face just doesn't fit. Maybe I'm not the right mould of seven."

It could just be for this game, we will see how Tom Curry plays this weekend. There is still a lot of tour to be played. Morgan is the one out of everyone not selected to have every reason to be slightly miffed.

I have to say that anyone who plays at seven for the Lions is going to do a brilliant job. Morgan has been superb, then you have former world player of the year Josh van der Flier, who has loads of experience. Anyone could do a cracking job, as you would expect on a Lions tour, because you are dealing with the best of the best.